Which of the names in the 2019 pop culture baby name game saw increases in usage last year? And which did not? All the results are below!
Here are the names that increased in usage from 2018 to 2019:
- Alita (f) increased by 554%.
- Banks (f) increased by 267%, and increased as a boy name as well. Suggested by alex.
- Posie (f) increased by 143%. Suggested by alex.
- Psalm (m) increased by 129%, but decreased as a girl name.
- Maelyn (f) increased by 91%. Suggested by Elisabeth.
- Navy (f) increased by 85%, and increased as a boy name as well. Suggested by Elisabeth.
- Archie (m) increased by 82%, and re-emerged as a girl name in the data as well.
- Asante (m) increased by 80%, and increased as a girl name as well. Suggested by Elisabeth.
- Hart (m) increased by 73%, but decreased as a girl name. Suggested by alex.
- Ciro (m) increased by 70%. Suggested by alex.
- Alaiya (f) increased by 66%. Suggested by alex.
- Myracle (f) increased by 51%. Suggested by Elisabeth.
- Boomer (m) increased by 45%. Suggested by Aya.
- Billie (f) increased by 42%, and increased as a boy name as well.
- Valentine (m) increased by 38%, and increased as a girl name as well. Suggested by alex.
- Kamala (f) increased by 30%.
- Birdie (f) increased by 29%. Suggested by Elisabeth.
- Rosalia (f) increased by 28%. Suggested by alex.
- Myles (m) increased by 26%, and increased as a girl name as well. Suggested by alex.
- Rue (f) increased by 24%. Suggested by Elisabeth.
- Rami (m) increased by 24%, and increased as a girl name as well. Suggested by Elisabeth.
- Incidentally, the usage of Malek also increased. :)
- Jed (m) increased by 23%. Suggested by Elisabeth.
- Hayes (m) increased by 19%, but decreased as a girl name. Suggested by alex.
- Ace (m) increased by 16%, and increased as a girl name as well. Suggested by alex.
- Elsa (f) increased by 16%. Suggested by elbowin.
- Maverick (m) increased by 14%, and increased as a girl name as well. Suggested by Elisabeth.
- Brixton (m) increased by 14%, but decreased as a girl name.
- Lucca (m) increased by 13%, but decreased as a girl name. Suggested by alex.
- Phoebe (f) increased by 11%. Suggested by Elisabeth.
- Valentino (m) increased by 8%. Suggested by alex.
- Dorian (m) increased by 3%, but decreased as a girl name.
- Gloria (f) increased by 3%.
- Roux (f) increased by 3%, but decreased as a boy name. Suggested by alex.
- Adeya debuted with 22 baby girls.
- Marsai was a double-debut: 10 baby girls, 5 baby boys.
- Kaavia debuted with 15 baby girls. Suggested by alex.
- Eryss re-emerged in the data with 5 baby girls. Suggested by alex.
- Embrii debuted with 5 baby girls. Suggested by alex.
Here are the names that did not increase in usage from 2018 to 2019:
Abril, Aeko, Arendelle, Asahd, Avani, Catori, Charli, Deckard, Donna, Eilish, Garima, Gil, Gilmher, Gima, Greedy, Greta, Huckleberry, Idina, Iduna, Kelleth, Lia, Lisann, Lizzo, Luce, Maleficent, Malone, Marli, Megan, Miren, Nadia, Nipsey, Post, Riyaz, Sameeksha, Sanni, Sansa, Saybie, Shaed, Shahadi, Sulwe, Taeyang, Wick
(These names saw equal usage, less usage, or weren’t in the data at all.)
Here are the late bloomers (i.e., names that were part of the 2018 game, but didn’t rise/debut until 2019):
- Kulture double-debuted with 17 baby girls and 5 baby boys.
- Chevel debuted with 17 baby girls.
- Zaxai debuted with 14 baby boys.
- Qira debuted with 13 baby girls.
- Story increased by 40 baby girls (but fell for boys).
- Dash increased by 25 baby boys (but fell for girls).
- Akash increased by 14 baby boys.
- Storm increased by 10 baby girls (but fell for boys).
- Kiki increased by 4 baby girls.
Finally, two more things…
- While the name Nipsey didn’t debut in 2019, Nipsey Hussle’s legal first name, Ermias, was the fastest-rising boy name of 2019 (in terms of relative increase).
- Dua, one of the rising names in last year’s game, stayed perfectly level this time around — exactly 72 baby girls in both ’18 and ’19. (In the UK, on the other hand, Dua’s usage increased quite a bit.)
What are your thoughts on the results this year? Did anything surprise you?
[The usual disclaimer: Some of the names above were already moving in the direction indicated. Others were influenced by more than a single pop culture person/event. In each case, I leave it up to you to judge the degree/nature of pop culture influence.]
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